Peeta's Point-of-View: The 74th Annual Hunger Games
by Ephesians613
Summary: This is a fan-made version of Suzanne Collin's book The Hunger Games from the character Peeta's point-of-view.
1. Chapter 1

**the Hunger Games**

**Peeta's Perspective: Chapter One**

**(Tell me what y'all think of this and if I should continue or not) ((:**

Today is the beginning of a day that I have dreaded for weeks. Today is the reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games, and thankfully, I have yet to be chosen. My name will only be in the bowl four times because my family does not need tesserae. My father and mother are the owners of the towns bakery so we always eat the leftovers for that day. I stretch in my undersized bed that has long since been too small and sit up to face the day. I can hear my brothers in the room over arguing about something, probably a girl. Who knows what it could be this time. Both of my brothers are older than me, one a year older and the other three. He is lucky, not having to face the reaping this year. He never got picked. I have always worried about this, but not to the extent of other, starving families, like Katniss'. '_Katniss.' _Her name is like a melody of feelings and emotions on my lips. She is the most beautiful, most confident person that I have ever met. And that's the thing. She doesn't care about what person think about her. She is herself, her stable, self-dependent, strong, self. I could think about her all-day and I would be perfectly alright, but now it is time to get ready. I got to sleep in today, so I am a bit behind. I bathe in our small, well-used bathtub and dry off. I sift through my closet to the back where my good clothes are stored, waiting for the time to be used. I settle for a simple white button down shirt and brown pants. Yeah, it sounds simple but it's all I got. I eat a small breakfast of stale bread and almost-spoiled milk, and then sit until it is time to go to the Square, basically outside the door. I have heard them set everything up for today for the last couple days. I finally get up and walk out the door, to impatient for this day to be over with to sit still any longer. I am one of the first to sign in at the station and stand at my place, talking to some of my friends from the school. As more and more kids sign in, it gets more and more claustrophobic. Eventually, the flow of sign-ins stops and I know the horror is about to beginning. Effie Trinket, our districts' escort walks onto stage and begins to announce the Reaping. "Happy Hunger Games! _And.._ May the odds be ever in your favor!" Effie's happiness is repulsive to all of us here in District 12, but we handle it each and every year. "Ladies first!" I always feel bad for the tributes, because they are forced into celebrating such a horrid event. Effie pulls a slip out of the girls bowl very dramatically and walks back to the podium. "Ahem. Primrose Everdeen!" Katniss's sister... "Where are you dear? Come on up." I see the horror on Prim's face as she tucks the back of her shirt into her skirt, both much too big. And my eyes find Katniss, frozen in horror. I freeze. I know what Katniss is going to do. "I VOLUNTEER!" I hear her scream. I knew it. My lovely Katniss, going to the Hunger Games. "I volunteer as tribute." Prim screams for Katniss not to go, and Gale comes and carries Prim to Mrs. Everdeen. "Well, it seems District 12 has it's very first volunteer. What is your name darling?" "Katniss. Katniss Everdeen." I cannot believe my Katniss, going into the Hunger Games. I miss everything until I see Effie is already back at the podium. "Peeta Mellark." I don't respond right away, but when I do, I do my best to suppress a smile. I will die, yes, but I will go with my Katniss. I make it my personally goal to get her, to get my love and Prim's only sister, Katniss, home alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Peeta's Point-of-View: The 74th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 2

As I walk up to the stage, the smile that I tried to suppress is long gone. In its place, sheer terror has come. I stand on the stage as Effie Trinket asks if there are any volunteers. As I look at my only valid brother. I know what will happen, but I don't care. He is the only one that I told about Katniss and he will not get involved. Katniss' face has gone cold, but has a distant look in her eyes. Perhaps she is remembering that day so long ago… It was January, the coldest one that anyone can ever remember. As Katniss and Prim would come to school, I noticed that they were getting thinner and thinner, like they weren't eating. I wondered and wondered, when finally I decided that I had to do something or they would both die. But what could I do? If I hoarded my food and gave it to her.. no that would take too long. I found my answer on a cold, dreary day. The rain was persistent, never letting up with its icy drops. I don't know what Katniss what doing, but she stumbled up our lane and just stared out at our shop. She was starving, I could tell because she started rummaging through our trash bin, only to find it bare. All of the sudden, my mother screamed at me to finish the bread she had started in the oven, and started mumbling about those Seam brats scrounging around in her trash day and night. Mother screamed at Katniss to go away, but I wanted her to stay so that I could help her. I knew then what I had to do. Mother came back in and told me to take the bread out, just the two loaves in the front. And as I picked them up, I dropped them in the flames, because I knew Katniss wouldn't care. Mother watched the whole thing, screamed at me and hit me. She told me to go feed it to the pig, that no one in the right mind would eat burned bread. But the pig never got the bread. As I walked outside into the rain, someone customer walked I, so my mother when to deal with them. I could never thank that person enough for coming to buy bread in this storm. I went to through the bread at the pig but, without looking at her, I threw Katniss both loaves, and turned, and went back inside. MY eye blackened during the night and hurt really bad. My friends didn't ask and I didn't say. I didn't talk, or even look at Katniss all day, but as school let out, I just stared at her. I guess she felt me staring but she looked away when I did, both of us embarrassed. I looked up in time to see her pick a dandelion. I've always wondered what that stood for in her head. I came to right before it was time for us to shake hands, and I looked her in the eye, and squeezed her hand. A truce, no, a symbol that I will not fight against her.


End file.
